Most people just come to college and go about the day by day
motions and just gain their education and then leave. Not many focus on their
education but also become involved in their university. D’Rae Wise is one of
those exceptions.
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| Wise cries out at the basketball team during a game. |
Wise spends his college days focusing on his major in
Leadership in Physical Activity while
immersing himself into anything he can find on campus. For students who attend
Slippery Rock, most know exactly who Wise is. He is the guy who screams at
athletic events and he is the guy who sends us facebook notifications, but is
there anything wrong with that? According to the general public, there is.
A large majority of the students at SRU cast a distasteful glare
at Wise, but for what reason? Because he doesn’t conform to the “typical”
college student, because he engages himself in an athletic game, or because he
wants to alert other students of other events on campus? What is so wrong with
that? He wants you to be involved with him or wants you to show your school
spirit. But before you try and tear him down, do you know what he has been
through?
Wise was born on June 10
th, 1993 in Pittsburgh,
Pa. Unfortunately, Wise spent much life growing up without his father, and for
some people that can emotionally break them down. Wise took this as a drive and
pushed himself to be something better than what he was. The direction in which
he is traveling now is a clear testament to that fact. Also while growing up,
Wise battled mild depression and lack of motivation. Something that brought him
out his slump was him finding his “why”. Wise responded that his “why” was “to
be healthy, live a long life and promote health and fitness.” This led Wise
into one of his passions, bodybuilding.
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Wise and his bodybuilding role model,
Greg Plitt, at the Arnold Classic. |
“Bodybuilding was something I never really looked into till
my junior year of high school,” Wise said. “It started from there, I watched
YouTube videos on how to work out and soon after found my role model Greg
Plitt.” Bodybuilding gave Wise an outlet and something to strive towards. Recently,
he placed 2
nd in the closed division and 3
rd in the open
physique division at the annual Mr. Ms. SRU Bodybuilding show.
Next to bodybuilding Wise enjoys spending his time working
in the Aebersold Recreation Center (ARC). The job gives Wise the opportunity to
have hands on involvement with students on campus. The ARC also allows him to
further his future planning in life. It exposes him to many different types of
people, and in turn helping him to gain more experience.
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| D'Rae Wise and other SRU students cheer intently at a football game. |
When asked about his on campus role model, Wise replied
without hesitation, Coach Kevin Reynolds. Reynolds in the head men’s basketball
coach here at SRU. He emulates Reynolds because he is a “hard worker and pushes
Wise to be a better person.
Reynolds expressed his love for Wise, “his enthusiasm, his
energy and he effort is infectious.” He has gotten to know Wise on a different
level than most have been able to. Wise has landed himself a large role on the
team and become a big part of their success. When Reynolds learned of Wise’s placement
in Mr. SRU it became a running joke that, “if he hadn’t eatin’ those baconators
from Wendy’s he would have taken first,” Reynolds joked.
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Wise stands among a sea of yellow shirts
at the Men's Basketball game against the University of Michigan. |
Through Wise’s involvement, he has been able to pave a
direction in which he would like to continue throughout the remainder of his
life. He takes great pride in the education he has received at SRU and how it
has prepared him for the world ahead of him.
Wise has been able to establish a good niche for himself
here at SRU, through many student organizations and athletics on campus. He is
not one that can be simply understood by simply looking him. You have to sit
down and give him some of your time and ask who he is. You would be surprised
the story you can learn.
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